Aging
There is a commonly used guideline in the energy science of Ayurveda which says that "You're only as old as your rasa" This has deep ramifications toward our health so we should pay attention to what it means
The Tissue Called Rasa
In the energy science healing discipline the first tissue layer anatomically is rasa Rasa receives the freshly digested material from the gut in order to nourish the plasma which is our modern day equivalent of rasa It contains all the tissue proteins, glucose, fatty acids including cholesterol, and immunoglobulins This latter constituent shows that rasa is involved in the immune functions of the mindbody Rasa has the qualities of heavy, slow, cool, oily, slimy/smooth, liquid, dense, sticky, and soft The primary function of this tissue is nutritive
When rasa is supportive and healthy it is responsible for clear thinking, faith, love, and trust It is responsible for soft, smooth skin, hair is soft and wavy, uniform complexion, good strength, stamina, great love, compassion, and profound faith
However when there are challenges leading to an unhealthy rasa, negative emotions such as fear, loneliness, anxiety, and insecurity show up When rasa is affected faith is easily affected and so These emotions show up as biochemical stressors that create an acceleration to the aging process For example, anxiety can make Vata cold and dry, anxiety can make it more mobile, and loneliness can produce clear and spacey qualities Anger can increase the hot and sharp qualities Attachment enhances the sticky and oily qualities of Kapha; greed can increase the sweet and salty tastes, and possessiveness the heavy quality that leads to depression
The moment the rasa dhatu is affected faith is also affected which leads to doubting and skepticism Belief is personal but faith is universal Belief leads to groupism and division Disease begins in the mind, in your belief system Faith is love and trust and can move mountains and prevent the aging process
Causes of Rasa Disorders
Heavy foods Cold foods and drinks(Ice is not nice
Overeating Oily or fried food
Leftover food Excess sugar, salt, or sour pickles
Hydrophilic foods eg yogurt, cheese, cucumber, watermelon and seasalt
Incompatible food combining
Too much thinking Worries, anxiety, lack of faith
Bacteria Excess ama(undigested, unprocessed foods)
Cold Hands and Cold Feet
A common symptom that people report is cold hands and feet that is a result of inadequate rasa and also rakta which is the red cell mass of the blood The volume of the plasma(rasa) of the blood leads to inadequate circulation in the far reaches of the body Other signs of poor rasa formation are fatigue, generalized pain and body ache, and fever
Typically the reason for poor rasa formation like other tissue layers is poor agni or digestive fire so one can see the importance of agni
